Black Rock Forest News Spring 2003 The Black Rock Forest Consortium Volume XIII, No. 2 Small Grants Support Summer Education Research and Education City Public Schools Gain Forest Access cientists will be studying bees, promote scientific research and inno- S turtles, age-related productivity vative education projects in the For- his spring, fourth and fifth decline in red oaks, and the use of an est, and must involve research or T graders from PS/IS 176 in oxygen isotope in obtaining cell curricula related to its biota or physi- northern Manhattan’s Inwood maturation information in Black cal environment. Funds may support neighborhood will become the first Rock Forest this summer, thanks to students and postdocs, transporta- New York City public school stu- the Stiefel Foundation Small Grant tion, and equipment (although pur- dents to benefit from Black Rock’s Program. Now in its fourteenth year chased equipment generally must new School in the Forest project. (and the second with funding from remain at or be returned to the For- This program, started with a gener- Stiefel), the Small Grant Program est). Proposals must reflect a well- ous grant from the New York Com- provides up to $5000 for research conceived design with clearly stated munity Trust, is designed to give projects and up to goals and a rea- public schools in the City the same $3000 for educa- sonable promise of opportunities to participate in the tion projects. successful comple- Forest’s science education pro- Since 1990, it has tion; they are also grams that independent schools funded 68 research evaluated on schol- and public schools in Orange projects for a total arly promise and County have enjoyed for more than of more than productivity, their twelve years. Joyce M. Baron, an $281,000, and contribution to the educational consultant with many since 1994, it has field, and the For- years of experience in both the pub- provided just over est’s importance in lic and private school worlds, in- $54,000 for 23 fulfilling the re- cluding serving as principal of the education projects. search goals. The Ethical Culture School and of the This year, the Consortium’s Sci- Fieldston Middle School and found- grant program also ence and Educa- ing and directing an independent funded three edu- tion Committee school in Rockland County, is de- cation proposals. makes the award veloping and directing the program. “The Small Measuring tree stem respiration in a decisions in con- The core of the School in the Grant program has project by Dr. Kevin Griffin funded by sultation with Dr. Forest program is class trips to the developed a legacy a 2001 Small Grant. Schuster. Forest: day trips until the Lodge is of providing re- built and overnight visits thereafter. searchers from Consortium institu- Bees and Turtles Students will be able to participate tions with funds to initiate projects in “Bees are the single most important in all the educational programs that the Forest,” explains Forest Director animal pollinators in virtually all ter- have been developed over the years Dr. William Schuster. “Some projects restrial regions except Antarctica,” (see “Teacher Resources,” Winter don’t require additional funding. But notes Dr. Jerome G. Rozen, Jr., a 2003). But equally important is the for ones that do, the Small Grant curator at the American Museum of interaction between participating program enables investigators to Natural History. “The mutualistic teachers and Forest staff. Prior to a compile preliminary data needed for relationship between bees and plants class’s initial trip to Black Rock, securing longer-term support. In comprises a key dimension in healthy Forest staff visit the classroom and addition to directly benefiting re- ecosystem function, biological diver- the teachers attend a forest orienta- searchers and their students, the sity, and agricultural productivity. tion. “This allows us to learn what studies have substantially added to Bees provide a vital and far-reaching the students are studying and who our understanding of forest structure community service, affecting both they are as learners, so we can help and function.” directly and indirectly the integrity of the teachers build the content of Each winter, the Consortium ecological communities as a whole, their visit,” explains Mrs. Baron, distributes guidelines for the Small including the health of humans.” Dr. “and it gives the teachers a feeling Grant Program to member institu- of confidence when they bring their tions. The grants are designed to (continued on page 5) (continued on page 6) 2 Black Rock Forest News Spring 2003 Black Rock Forest Report from the Forest Director Consortium irst-hand experiences in nature gram working directly with New York F provide a rich context for learning City public school students and their Black Rock Forest News is published about living organisms and our envi- teachers and administrators. We are three times a year by the Black Rock ronment. Enabling such experiences now enjoying working with young- Forest Consortium. for students of all ages has always sters from PS 176 in northern Man- The Black Rock Forest Consortium is an been a major focus of the Black Rock hattan. The grant has allowed us to alliance of public and private schools, Forest Consortium. Using Black add an accomplished, multitalented colleges, universities, and scientific and Rock as a vast natural classroom, educator, Joyce Baron, to our staff. cultural institutions engaged in research, teachers, scientists, and Forest staff Joyce has guided the development of education, and conservation in the 3785- acre Black Rock Forest in New York’s have interacted to develop, refine, this project, working with teachers Hudson Highlands. and spread educational activities that and the resources of the Consortium involve students as participants to pull together the best of our pro- The Black Rock Forest Consortium is a within a carefully designed and often grams. PS 176 will have access to all not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization sup- rigorous learning framework. Re- the benefits of Consortium member- ported by membership dues, grants, and search has shown that retention of ship. We plan to include other City gifts. concepts and facts is enhanced when schools in the near future. students are actively involved in their It is not a practical goal to work Consortium Institutions learning. Using a compass and read- with all or even a substantial portion American Museum of Natural History ing a map while viewing a landscape of the students in the New York met- Barnard College from the top of a mountain, studying ropolitan area. But in and around Brooklyn Botanic Garden amphibians in the habitats where the City (and most cities for that mat- Browning School they live, exploring the transforma- ter) are a host of natural areas, for- The Calhoun School tion of water from rain or groundwa- ests, marshes, rivers, and estuaries Columbia University ter to surface water or eventually that are the focus of research activi- Cornwall Central School District The Dalton School drinking water: these are experiences ties. If those that are managed by Friends Seminary from which students learn lasting life organizations with comparable edu- Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods skills and gain a foundation for un- cational missions could jointly de- Hole—The Ecosystems Center derstanding our environment and velop a model for a larger number of New York – New Jersey Trail Conference our interconnections with it. preserves and scientific field stations, New York University Too many students, particularly we would be doing a great favor to Newburgh Enlarged City School District from urban areas, are not provided our urban youth and our prospects PS/IS 176 with these experiences. And without for living sustainably within the The School at Columbia University them, as they become the new deci- natural systems on which we depend. Storm King School sion-makers in our society, it will be Please consider helping us if you Consortium Staff difficult for them to have much un- can, or in directing support our way, derstanding of or concern for nature. because the project is not yet fully William Schuster, Ph.D., Forest Director Many programs have been developed funded. We need additional support John Brady, Forest Manager Joyce M. Baron, Education Coordinator to address this situation; the pro- to provide these students with Barbara Brady, Administrative Assistant grams of the Black Rock Forest Con- hands-on field experience, opportuni- Matthew Munson, Data Manager sortium and its member institutions ties to meet researchers and collect benefit thousands of youth from New and analyze their own real data. We Consortium Officers York City, and closer cities such as want to work with more students and William T. Golden, Chairman Newburgh, each year. But such ex- with other organizations to provide Frank Moretti, Ph.D., President periences are still not widely avail- similar opportunities elsewhere. The Sibyl R. Golden, Vice-Chair able to the majority of urban stu- School in the Forest has been devel- William M. Kelly, Treasurer dents. Their learning about the won- oped to directly address state science Christie Van Kehrberg, Secretary ders of nature, if it exists at all, still teaching standards; we aim to do so relies largely on books and black- more effectively than is typically done Consortium Address boards, a poor substitute for experi- with only books and lectures. Teach- 129 Continental Road encing the cacophony of a pond full ers have repeatedly experienced how Cornwall NY 12518-2119 of mating frogs or a guided discovery even some of their most difficult stu- Phone: (845) 534-4517 of the heavens on a clear night. dents blossom in such a rich, open Fax: (845) 534-6975 Our School in the Forest project environment.